


Coffee and Confessions

by celestialfreckles



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Asexual Character, Bi!Dean, F/F, Fluff, M/M, asexual!Cas, established relationship Dorothy Baum/Charlie Bradbury, texting fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 04:33:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9531665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialfreckles/pseuds/celestialfreckles
Summary: Live-texting a practical stranger’s love confession instead of working on your term paper? Always a good idea





	

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by [this](http://crimson-prudence.tumblr.com/post/154719157747/was-i-the-only-one-who-pictured-her-otp-while) post

Autumn colors streaked across the Singer’s Café window. Many trails of conjoining raindrops melded the rich russet and vibrant ochre hues from the trees lining the campus sidewalks. The scent of freshly roasted coffee beans warmed the air of the café. Soft strumming from an acoustic guitar came from the overhead speakers. It was a nice, peaceful place for the college students to come study.

Charlie Bradbury, unfortunately, was not enjoying any bit of this quiet Thursday afternoon. She nursed her latte, squishing the tepid coffee around in her mouth as she stared at her computer screen. Her last minute term paper stared right back -- rather smugly, too, she thought. She rolled her eyes as she closed them, sighing as her fingers dug into her scalp.

“I shouldn’t have procrastinated. Dorothy was right,” she said, opening her eyes to glare at her dim computer screen. On the bar counter, her phone buzzed, the vibrations shifting the phone slightly left. Snorting, Charlie picked it up and opened her messages. “It’s like you knew.”

**Dee <3**  
**4:16pm // still at the café?**  
**4:16pm // you know, I told you that you shouldn’t procrastinate. Makes everything harder.**

_4:17pm // you’re so smart I knew there was a reason I kept you around_

Charlie set down her phone once she sent the text, picking it back up a second later.

_4:19pm // I’m about half done now. If all goes well I shouldn’t be that much longer._

**Dee <3**  
**4:19pm // well, at least now I know that there’s a reason other than my breathtaking good looks**

Charlie sniffed in amusement, glancing over her computer screen at her favorite barista, Castiel. He must have felt her gaze, because he looked up a second later, his eyebrows raising in question.

“Just a refill, thanks.” Her phone buzzed in her hands twice as Castiel walked over to grab her mug.

“Yeah, no problem.”

**Dee <3**  
**4:20pm // oh hey I just remembered**  
**4:20pm // can you go to the store and pick up some milk on the way home?**

_4:20pm // what, are we out?_

**Dee <3**  
**4:21pm // no, I just like to have a surplus of milk.**  
**4:21pm // Just in case, you know**  
**4:21pm // you never know when there’s gonna be a shortage**  
**4:22pm // when the milkolypse comes, it might be the only way we can make money we need to survive**  
**4:23pm // do you want us to starve??**

Charlie giggled into her hand as Castiel set her latte down. “Memes?” he asked, with a curious smirk.

“No. Well, my girlfriend thinks she’s a meme sometimes.”

Castiel chuckled, his eyes flicking to the door when the little golden bell above the doorway jingled. He made a quiet, sort-of pained noise that made Charlie stop typing her response to Dorothy for a second. She looked over her shoulder to find that it was only Dean, the night cashier at Café Singer. He waved merrily to the both of them as he headed toward the back room to dump his jacket and backpack. Charlie went to go back to typing.

_4:25pm // no need to be a smart ass_  
_4:25pm // though I love that about you_

**Dee <3**  
**4:26 // you love everything about me**

_4:26pm // true :3_

With that, Charlie set her phone screen down n the counter top and went back to her paper. “Uh,” she looked back up when Castiel muttered, “Just let me know if you need anything.”

She nodded and reread the last line she typed, scrunching up her nose at her double use of very…or even her single use. As she backspaced, she glanced over to see Castiel leaning his hip against the counter as Dean counted the money in the register.

After a second of contemplation, her gaze drifted back to the two of them. Dean was laughing at something Castiel said, clapping his hand on his shoulder. Castiel clasped his hands behind his back, his fingers fidgeting. She heard his nervous giggle as Dean’s laughter died down. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she watched the pair of them. Dean’s fingers grazed Castiel’s arm before he turned to go to the back room again. Castiel watched him go, his shoulders relaxing a little as he sighed.

Before she realized what she was doing, Charlie reached for her phone.

_4:34pm // ok so_  
_4:34pm // you know my favorite barista?_

**Dee <3**  
**4:35pm // Cas, right?**  
**4:35pm // what about him**

_4:35pm // I think he has a crush on the cashier :)_

**Dee <3**  
**4:37pm // you’re totally distracted now, aren’t you**

_4:37pm // maybe_  
_4:38pm // don’t judge me_  
_4:38pm // for the record, they’d be almost as cute as us if they got together_

**Dee <3**  
**4:39pm // babe, first of all, that’s fucking impossible**

_4:39pm // bitch, I said almost_

**Dee <3**  
**4:40pm // and second, I’m gonna need updates on this torrid affair**

Dean came out from the back room with an armful of to-go cups. “So, uh,” Castiel started to say as Dean approached and was cut off by his nod to the back room.

“Can you grab some of the lids? My arms were too full.”

“Yeah, okay.” Castiel glanced over his shoulder in Charlie’s direction as he started for the backroom. In turn, she directed her gaze to her computer screen, typing without thinking. When she finally focused, all she saw was two lines full of keyboard smash. She started backspacing as Castiel came back in, taking note of the way he gulped when his eyes found Dean again.

_4:44pm // oh shit I think he’s gonna confess his feelings_  
_4:45pm // idk idk that’s just the vibe I’m getting_

**Dee <3**  
**4:45pm // IT’S TOO BLAVE**

Charlie snorted, covering her nose and mouth with her hand when Dean and Castiel looked her way. She ducked her head and opened Giphy to search for the perfect Princess Bride quote in response to her girlfriend’s reference. Castiel cleared his throat.

“So…” Castiel’s shoulders tensed and Charlie stopped scrolling. “Uh, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable and I understand if it does and I—“

_4:47pm // OMG IT’S HAPPENING_

“Cas, just say it,” Dean said, stacking the paper cups on the outside of the counter. “I’m sure whatever it is will be – “

“Ihaveacrushonyou,” he said all at once, inhaling deeply and letting it out. The stacks of paper cups collapsed and spilled across the counter and onto the floor on both sides. All three of them froze at the hollow cacophony of noises that followed. Charlie was the first to move, the buzz of her phone in her hand bringing her back to life. Castiel was next, rushing around to the other side to pick up the cups that fell.

**Dee <3**  
**4:49pm // WELL?!?**

_4:50pm // IDK_  
_4:50pm // I’M FREAKING OUT GIVE ME A SEC_

“I’m sorry, I messed this up,” Castiel said, his voice sounding on the verge of tears. Dean was still standing frozen, staring at the fallen cups. “I’m sorry, Dean.”

Dean reanimated as Castiel's head came back into view above the counter. “Uh, uh, for how long?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“I don’t know, really.” Castiel let out a nervous chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “About six months, I think?”

_4:56pm // okay so barista has had a crush for six months_  
_4:57pm // BOI MAKE YOUR MOVE_  
_4:58pm // omg ok so the cashier said he needs to go in the back and think about it_  
_4:58pm // that was the most forlorn look I’ve ever seen_  
_4:58pm // like, if you looked forlorn up in the dictionary you would see a picture of the barista at this very moment in time_

**Dee <3**  
**4:59pm // O_o I’m so nervous for him now poor thing**  
**4:59pm // did the cashier know he was gay?**

_4:59pm // idk tbh_  
_5:00pm // I don’t think he’s gay. I seem to remember him having a black ring on his middle finger_

After a minute of no response, Charlie set her phone down and grabbed her latte, nervously sipping at her coffee. Another minute and a scalded tongue later, her mug was empty. She set it down with the small frown, glancing back at Castiel. He was restacking the cups, looking over to the doorway at each hint of movement, even if it was just a shadow.

_Poor guy_ , she thought, twisting the mug back and forth by the handle. A small part of her wanted to ask for a refill, but she also liked the thought of not being a complete asshole. She looked back at her computer when Castiel noticed her staring. Her screen had gone black with her inactivity.

“Another refill?” Charlie offered him a smile as he walked up to the counter, his shoulders slumped.

“Yeah, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“That’s why they pay me the big bucks around here,” he said with a smirk. When he grabbed her mug, she glanced down at his right hand, noting the black ring gleaming in the low light of the café. _Yup. Ace like I thought._

“Are…” she cleared her throat, glancing over to the back doorway. “Are you okay?”

Sighing, Castiel smiled a he turned back to the cappuccino machine. “I will be.” Charlie looked back down at her phone when it buzzed.

**Dee <3**  
**5:05pm // oh ok**  
**5:05pm // and the other guy?**

_5:06pm // honestly no clue_  
_5:06pm // I don’t really interact with him too often_  
_5:07pm // but, if I had to guess, I’d say he’s bi_

The doors from the back room swung open and Charlie dropped her phone, freezing as it clattered away across the counter. Castiel was lucky enough to have just set down the mug as Dean approached. He started to say something but was stopped when Dean took him into his arms and kissed him. Just like that. Going by the sort of strangled whimper Castiel made, it surprised him just as much as it did her.

Charlie slowly leaned forward for her phone.

_5:11pm // HE’S BACK_  
_5:12pm // yeah okay so they’re kissing_

Dean pulled away, a smile tugging up at the corner of his lips as he rested his forehead on Castiel’s. “I,” he said after a minute, his fingers uncurling from the back of Castiel’s uniform polo. “I like you, too.”

The tips of Castiel’s ears turned a bright red and he ducked his head and buried it in Dean’s shoulder. Charlie’s phone vibrated several times, but she ignored it for the moment.

“I have for a while I think. I just, I don’t know, couldn’t admit it to myself.”

Castiel turned his head, pecking Dean’s cheek. “I-I’m glad.” Charlie’s phone vibrated again, both Dean and Castiel turning to look at her. Both flushed an even deeper red and Dean stepped away from Castiel, wiping his palms on the thighs of his jeans while Castiel took a couple steps toward Charlie.

"Do you mind if we leave for a few minutes?”

“Oh, no. You guys are totally fine.” She watched as Cas reached for Dean’s hand. They intertwined their fingers as they walked to the back room together. The doors swung shut once more as Charlie unlocked her phone.

**Dee <3**  
**5:13pm // I’ll have you know**  
**5:14pm // I fell off the couch and scared Elphaba**  
**5:17pm // OK WHY AREN’T YOU RESPONDING I DEMAND UPDATES**

_5:20pm // THEY WENT TO GO TALK_  
_5:20pm // they’re so cute I’m fine_  
_5:20pm // also, poor kitty. Is she hiding now?_

**Dee <3**  
**5:20pm // aaaaaah I’m so happy :D :D**  
**5:21pm // you crazy kids I’m so proud of you little history makers**  
**5:21pm // lol**  
**5:21pm // and yeah, she was under the bed. I'm cuddling her**  
**5:22pm // What’s happening now**

_5:22pm // not sure, they haven’t come back yet_  
_5:22pm // also we need to rewatch Yuri!!! On Ice again when I get back home_  
_5:23pm // the barista reminded me of you though, when you first told me that you liked girls_

**Dee <3**  
**5:23pm // all in one breath?**

_5:23pm // yup_  
_5:23pm // it was cute_  
_5:23pm // both times_  
_5:24pm // you were cuter though, but I might be biased_

**Dee <3**  
**5:24pm // Just a little :***

_5:25pm // wait, Dee, they’re back_

They were still holding hands as they walked back into the lobby, Castiel poking Dean in the side. It took them a couple of minutes to remember that Charlie was there, Castiel doing a double take in her direction. He let go of Dean’s hand and went over to the glass pastries case and grabbed one of the latex gloves from the box by the register. “You like chocolate, right?”

“Hell yeah,” Charlie said, leaning her elbows on the counter. Castiel grabbed a chocolate muffin with his gloved hand, picking up a small plate as he walked over to where Charlie was and set the muffin down.

“On the house. For putting up with us.”

“Don’t even worry about it. I’m so happy for you two.”

Castiel grinned as he turned to return to Dean, and Charlie tore a chunk from the top of the muffin, chewing it as she tapped the touchpad of her laptop. 5:32pm. There was not a shred of motivation in her body, mind, and/or spirit to work on this term paper at the moment. She rolled her eyes, licking the bits of melted chocolate off her fingertips when she finished the muffin.

_5:34pm // ugh I can’t work under these conditions_  
_5:34pm // too cute, I can’t concentrate_  
_5:35pm // I’m packing up_

She closed her computer and bit back her smile. Dean and Castiel were trying their hardest to conceal their clasped hands and the occasional kiss on the cheek.

**Dee <3**  
**5:36pm // k see you soon**  
**5:37pm // don’t forget the milk**

_5:37pm // don’t worry I won’t forget our source of income for the milkolypse_

The golden bell tickled as she opened the door, both Dean and Castiel calling out their goodbyes as Charlie stepped outside. She tucked her computer under her arm as she waved back, her phone in hand. She made it to the campus street corner before her phone vibrated again. While she waited for the crosswalk light to change, she checked her new message.

**Dee <3**  
**5:38pm // lol**  
**5:38pm // <3<3<3<3<3**

**Author's Note:**

> aaah okay so I tried to add emoticons to this but they didn't seem to transfer very well
> 
> also, bonus points to those who get the Wicked reference <3


End file.
